‘Light Thief’ wins Eurasia festival

Andrei Merzlikin wins actor prize for 'Strayed'

Kyrgyz director Aktan Arym Kubat’s film “The Light Thief” took the main international prize and FIPRESCI award at Kazakhstan’s 6th Eurasia Intl. Film Festival.

A fondly observed story of an electrician who uses his electrical — and emotional — connections to make life easier for people living in remote villages with intermittent energy supplies, the film took the $20,000 main prize at the festival’s closing ceremony in Almaty late Saturday.

In other results at a festival dedicated to Central Asia and Turkic film, best actor went to Russian thesp Andrei Merzlikin for his role in metaphysical thriller “Strayed” by Kazakh director Akan Satayev and best actress to Darya Gorshkaleva for her role in Uzbek director Yusup Razykov’s story of a missing child, “Migrant Worker.”

There was a special mention for a debut by actress Reseda Khadiullina for her role in a Tatar film from Russia, “Bibinur” by Yury Feting.

The Turkic film prize went to Turkish director Pelin Esmer’s “10 to 11,” about an elderly man forced to move from his much loved old apartment.

The Network for Promotion of Asian Cinema gave nods to Turkish film “Hair,” by Tayfun Priselimoglu, and “40th Door,” by Azeri director Elchin Musaoglu Guliyev.

Chinese director Ershata Yahfu picked up a special award from his film “Flower.”

Hollywood actor Kevin Costner was at the closing ceremony to accept a lifetime achievement award.